Putting a face and voice to rural and remote health Saskatchewan, Canada Bonnie Brossart, CEO Session: Why is there a need to focus on rural people? Moving Palliative and End-of-life Care Forward Conference, May 17-21

Saskatchewan at a Glance ~1,030,000 people 650,000 km 2  1.58 persons/km 2 13 Regional Health Authorities 53.5% live in Saskatoon and Regina Qu’Appelle RHAs 3.5% live in Northern RHAs

Aboriginal Peoples of SK ~15% of total population Fastest growing population = 10% of RHA pop. Canadian Plains Research Centre

Elderly Population of SK 14.5% of total population are 65+ years Growing population  By 2031 will be 25% of population = 5% of RHA pop.

Health realities in rural and remote areas Saskatchewan residents in rural and remote regions are more likely to encounter barriers to accessing care, including information and advice, due to their location. Hospitalization rates for preventable conditions tend to be higher in rural areas than urban areas due to differences in the extent to which preventative care and management are available and accessible in the community. Satisfaction with physician services is generally lower in rural and remote regions. Source: Saskatchewan Health, 2004

 “My 89 year old father was placed in a nursing home 40 miles from his home – too far for his wife to visit him. He was put there because there was room – but no consideration was given to the fact that he was not going to have visitors because he was too far away. Initially he was to be put in one 150 miles away, until my sister kicked up a fuss. I know of 5 other people from 4 other health districts who were put in communities where they knew nobody and which were too far away for spouse, friends and family to visit. For instance one French speaking lady was put in a home in which all the elderly residents spoke Ukranian! Because there was room there. In another case, a Cree speaking woman from Cumberland House was put in a nursing home in Hudson Bay! I could go on and on.”  “When you have to travel 3 hours to Saskatoon for tests and to see specialists it would be better if these appointments could be organized to cut down on travel expenses and to get quicker results. Most appointments need to be booked 6 weeks in advance. If some of these could be booked close together that would help. When you are sick and in pain 6 weeks is a long time. You start feeling like just a file in someone’s desk that no one cares about and you are in pain 24/7.” The voice of rural and remote peoples

What patient-centred care might look like for people living in rural and remote areas… The farmer needing to travel to Regina to see a specialist, physiotherapist and orthotist is able to see them all on the same day – or even in the same clinic room. An elderly Dene man in a northern community, about to be placed on an ambulance for medical transport to Saskatoon, is encouraged to bring his English-speaking daughter with him.